EVANSVILLE - Casino Aztar has filed a civil suit alleging that Stoney's Rockin' Country, which was scheduled to open in the former Jillian's Billard's Club in the Aztar entertainment district, has defaulted on its lease and owes them more than $300,000 in back rent and other expenses.

According to the complaint filed in Vanderburgh Circuit Court, the country western nightclub was supposed to open on Jan. 1, and the company has refused to pay Casino Aztar pursuant to the default notice.

Grady Aitken, Casino Aztar's general manager, said things just got a point where nothing was happening.

"We got to this point because we expected an opening quite a bit earlier and we're kind of disappointed we didn't get to that stage. We've had to take this step," he said.

"We expected we would be able to offer our guests something by the entertainment option early this year or even late last year and that just didn't happen. So we're trying to work towards a resolution with Stoney's and the contractors."

Aitken said they are looking to find a new entertainment option, but they are still early on in the process.

Casino Aztar has terminated its lease with the company as of Thursday and said the nightclub owes them $302,075.24 for back rent, utility charges, waster collection, utility service and landscaping charges, late fees and interest.

In an affadavit of support in the case, Tropicana Entertainment president and CEO Scott Butera said that "Stoney's has unlawfully retained possession of the premises and is currently without right to possession thereof, its breach of the lease, notice sent to it requesting that the breach and default be cured and a continued failure to cure such breach and default."

Butera said the estimated rental value of the presmises is $57,350 per month plus other rent for common area maintenance charges, taxes and other items.

Officials from Stoney's said they had no comment on the lawsuit.

Stoney's was renovating the location at the former Jillian's Billards Club, and was the latest tenant in the Aztar entertainment district on Riverside Drive across from the casino. The nightclub, which bills itself as "the largest country nightclub in Las Vegas" would have featured a dance floor, live bands and DJs, bars, pool tables, beer pong, a mechanical bull, cowboy arcade and a full service restaurant.

In addition to a Stoney's Rockin' Country in Las Vegas, Stoney's also operates a bar called Stoney's North Forty in the Sante Fe Hotel and Casino, which is also located in Las Vegas.

Aitken said they were told that some of the delays in the project were because Stoney's was having to relocate properties in Las Vegas to a stand alone location.

"So they said they had to turn their attention to that," he said. "We had very limited conversation until they told us they were close to getting that location open and they could refocus here."

But that hasn't happened, he said, and Casino Aztar got to a point that it wasn't feeling comfortable anymore.

"We want to liven that district and make better use of it," Aitken said. "Eventually have the complex completed integrated at some time."

An initial hearing has been scheduled for June 1 on the eviction portion of the lawsuit.